Bowling: Perfect Rendezvous for doubles team

Rules were made to be broken and so it proved at bowling’s Rendezvous Tournament, which celebrated its 35th anniversary with record entries and scores in the doubles, singles and Optional Event.

The largest-ever number of visiting bowlers arrived despite the weather in the U.S. A total of 36 made it to Bermuda and the States represented were New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Delaware.

A total of 158 doubles entered and battled to win a share of the $7,268 prize fund, up from last year’s pot of $5,192.

On the singles side there were 211 entered with 21 places paid out of the $4,853 total winnings.

Topping the scoring list, Lamar Richardson and Damien Matthews partnered to win the doubles with a handicap total of 1,607 pins to take home the coveted first-place prize of $2,200.

Richardson put together scratch games of 232, 246 and 265 for a 743 scratch series with Matthews close behind with a 246, 232 and 251, totalling a scratch series of 729. The pair broke the all-time record.

Akeem Talbot and Omar Harvey bowled a 1,472 handicap series and pocketed $1,000 for their efforts.

In the singles competition, LaVinc Samuels topped the scoring to win $1,100, while Richardson claimed second honours with a 778 to win $550.

The Optional Event, designed for the scratch bowlers, saw 115 women and 243 men participate.

Brown bowled a 224 to Wiley’s 174 to shut her out and then climbed the ladder to bowl against Patrice Tucker, who won the match with a 200 to 183.

Patrice Tucker climbed one rung of the ladder to take on Bobbie Jones and ended with a 211 to Jones’ 168. Next in line was the leader Dara Rimes, with the end result Rimes scoring 192 and Tucker 211 to win the Championship.

On the men’s side of the Optionals, Richardson was top followed by Kevin Swan, Rickai Binns, Steven Riley and Le Vinc Samuels.

Samuels bowled the highest game of the finals with a 257, while Riley was close on his heels with a 226.

Samuels advanced and with a 210 dropped Binns to fourth.

Next on the ladder was Kevin Swan, who ended with a 234 to Samuels’ 207.

Swan then met the leader Richardson, who meant business, and remained the last man standing, bowling a 247 to Swan’s 206.

Both Tucker and Richardson were presented with watches from Crisson Jewelers and $400 each.

Carlos Dowling from the Department of Tourism presented two Bermuda plaques to the highest-scoring woman and man visitor — Dara Rimes and James Joynier respectively.